Jade River

Sometimes in music, the stars align to unexpectedly bring together legends to tell a brutally honest and unfiltered story for the ages. Such is the case for Portland producer Jade River’s new single, “Flowers Die.”

“Flowers Die” brings together LA hip hop icons Ariano, MC Supernatural, Pawz One and DJ LaLa on the turntables for a track that harnesses their individual talents within three minutes of raw power. Continuing to elevate his game, Jade’s deceptively simple beat of banging drums with reggae undertones, along with sharpness of LaLa’s cuts, lays the foundation for the in-your-face lyrical flows delivered with flawless execution, weaving a tale about the trials of the human condition and current society.

And yet, through it all, the music lives on.

Independent SoCal hip hop veteran Ariano opens the first chapter of the track with his lilting hook, which drives straight into the hard edges of his verse. Never one to shy away from brutally honest social commentary, Ariano pulls no punches as he addresses everything from Twitter activism to media sensationalism of tragedy.

And yet, through it all, the music lives on.

Chapter two gives way to legendary battle rapper, MC Supernatural, whose epic freestyle sessions have earned him respect the world over. Supernatural may be best know for his marathon freestyling, but on “Flowers Die” he effortlessly controls the verse, laden with remorse and hope, to deliver his own social commentary on the world we live in.

And yet, through it all, the music lives on.

The final chapter of Jade River’s story belongs to Pawz One and his vicious, rapid-fire rhyme schemes. He continues the social narrative, drawing on absent fathers and our obsession with screens, and how it all leads to missing out on a life to lived to the fullest.

And yet, through it all, the music lives on.

With so much talent and style packed into a single song, the sound and story can be in danger of getting lost in the uproar but “Flowers Die” manages to maintain control and deliver a solid track that proves that no matter what, the music lives on.